Summer Research Housing Grants
Summer Research Housing Grants
Students engaged in summer research are eligible to apply for free housing in the residence halls, subject to the following stipulations:
- Each student must be a registered undergraduate at Valparaiso University.
- Each student must be engaged in full time research (at least 30 hours per week), up to a maximum of 10 weeks.
- Each student researcher must have a faculty mentor.
- Each student must be engaged in real research, as opposed to simply assisting with a faculty research project. For example, a student employed by a faculty member to work solely as a laboratory technician, to find journal articles in the library, or to proofread a manuscript would not be eligible. The key criterion in defining ‘real’ research is that the student be engaged in, and contribute to, the intellectual development of the research or creative project. Two manifestations of such engagement are: 1) that the student write a comprehensive research report and 2) that the student be included as a co-author of any scholarly publications that result from the research.
Faculty mentors request housing on behalf of their students through the Creative Work and Research Committee. The deadline for such requests is usually in late March. The request includes the following information:
- Student’s name.
- Expected graduation date.
- Short description of the student’s planned activities.
- Beginning and ending dates for the research/housing.
- Source of funding from which the student will be paid.
The Committee on Creative Work and Research selects students to receive Summer Housing Grants before May 1. The Office of Residential Life coordinates the awards with Finance and Administration. These awards are subject to the following conditions:
- Students enrolled in summer school must have the approval of the Financial Aid Office.
- Students receiving this award must abide by all the rules and regulations of the residence hall system.
- Students must complete and submit a summer housing agreement to the Office of Residential Life in the Harre Union no later than the summer school housing application deadline. Students should indicate that they are a “summer research student” on the form. If students are not approved for free housing, and then wish to cancel their housing, they may do so without financial penalty.
- Grants will be for up to 10 weeks. When not on campus for one (1) week or more, students must vacate their rooms.
- Rooms will be double rooms with roommates assigned by the Office of Residential Life.
NOTE: The Internal Revenue Service considers a housing grant to be a form of compensation. As a result, the University must report the value of the room rental on the student’s W-2 form.